This invention relates generally to tools utilized for contouring and finishing beads of caulk, grout, putty, and other fluent materials (hereinafter sometimes referred to only as "caulk"). More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus for compressing and contouring beads of fluent material freshly applied to joints, and for removal of excess fluent material from the sides of the joints after finished or contoured beads have been obtained.
Many tools are available in the prior art for contouring and finishing beads of caulk and other fluent materials applied to intersecting planar surfaces. Some of such tools teach a one-step application and contouring of a bead of fluent material within a joint, but are devoid of any teaching or recognition of potential clean-up problems along the sides of an applied and contoured bead. A few of such tools disclosed purport to be able to avoid excess distribution of fluent materials along the sides of a bead in the first instance. However, to the extent that they may not always satisfactorily perform in the manner suggested, the tools disclosed are inadequate to remove such excess fluent material.
Moreover, most of the tools are constructed in a rather complex manner, either by virtue of complicated physical manufacturing requirements, or wherein several parts are required for assembly of the tool. In addition, to the extent that resilience and flexibility of the applied tool surfaces are deemed highly desirable for creation of a superior appearance for the finished bead in the opinion of the present inventor, most of the prior art tools appear to lack adequate resilience and flexibility.